August Update
Rutgers-Camden exhibit, shop update, Q&A with a Maplewood artist about his forthcoming book, art exhibit looking for animal sculptures, and more!
I hope you’re having a good summer so far! I spent last Saturday on the beach and then went to a county fair—it was the perfect summer day, and I hope you have as many versions of your perfect summer day as you can during August!
-Kerri
Rutgers-Camden exhibit
I was extremely flattered to be asked to put together an exhibit about Jersey Collective’s ten year milestone for the Paul Robeson Library at Rutgers-Camden. The exhibit features some behind-the-scenes images and words about this project, as well as a bunch of photos from takeovers, primarily of South Jersey. You can see “Celebrating Ten Years of Jersey Collective” on display at the library until October 1st, 2024.
Hear me on a podcast!
It was great to hop on New Jersey is the World recently to discuss some of the voicemails left by the show’s listeners! I barely made it into the free episode1, but Patreon subscribers will hear me contribute more in the paywalled episode!
Shop update
I’m so excited to share these new stickers, which are available in our shop and for wholesale: the “celebrate the garden state” series designed by Kasey Bohnert!
Note: anything ordered between 7/31 and 8/5 will ship on 8/6.
Upcoming Events
More fall and winter markets to be announced soon!
Rad Shirts Underground Pop-Up Series
Thursday, August 22 from 5:00-10:00 PM
Rad Shirts: 23 Taylor Ave in Manasquan, NJ
Come shop Jersey Collective goods alongside Rad Shirts’ clothing, art, vintage, and more. This event is ASL (American Sign Language) accessible!
Bell Works Fresh Holiday Market
Saturday, December 7 from 2:00-7:00 PM
Bell Works: 101 Crawfords Corner Rd, Holmdel, NJ
Special afternoon/evening market featuring vendors and photos with Santa! I’ll have all the usual stuff plus maybe something new by then, so you can knock out all your holiday shopping in person!
Can’t make it to an event? Shop our online souvenir shop! New Jersey Fan Club is also available wherever books are sold—if your favorite local shop doesn’t have it, ask them to order it! Same goes for your local library.
Last week, I had a great time attending my first Somerset Patriots game for one of their alternate-branded games where they played as the Jersey Diners. They’re doing it for the last time this season on August 11th!
Worth your time: this hauntingly beautiful essay published by The Rumpus about cleaning up the beach at Sandy Hook and about pregnancy loss. “Why do I keep coming back to the beach, in the rain, my clothes dirty, household chores left undone? When there is no visible change to the landscape, when I can’t even say I’m doing it for my children?”
I became familiar with the iconic Wildwood haunted boardwalk attraction Castle Dracula because of Mike Jasorka’s comic book illustrating the ride’s employee handbook, and it is cool to see this upcoming inaugural event celebrating Castle Dracula with photo ops, memorabilia, documentary screening, and vendors.
Highlighting our locally-based independent retailer partners who carry our products!
The Corner
Location: Flemington, NJ
The Corner is a longtime friend of Jersey Collective: Dave and Ally hosted me and some NJFC contributors back in 2022 for a book event that centered on photography and featured several of the book’s photographers. I am so thrilled that they are now carrying New Jersey Go Fish!
Dave does such a great job promoting the store and its products on social media, and the store is so well curated. Be sure to visit if you’re in the area or make a special trip of it! Besides our go fish deck, you’ll find a ton of great things to give as gifts or keep for yourself. There are plenty of other Jersey-themed wares, too! And don’t miss their neighboring kid-focused shop, La Petite Ruelle.
Welcome to the NJ Q+A, where we hear from an interesting New Jerseyan!
Maplewood Artists Ken Stanek was kind enough to answer our questions this month! Read on to learn about his current Kickstarter project, About Town Soma, a book of his illustrations and everything else he’s doing.
Where are you from originally?
I’m originally from Easton, Pennsylvania. Right on the border of New Jersey. Historically, my high school is arch rivals with the nearest NJ high school, so I’ve got a bit of residual guilt about being here. That being said, it’s great!
After school, I moved to New York for 15 years bouncing around the boroughs & biking to work, then followed the Brooklyn to Maplewood pipeline just like 90% of the rest of town.
What surprised you the most about Maplewood?
It was quite a culture shock moving from Brooklyn to the burbs. The density and stimulation of the city is something I miss, but the peace and quiet and space is what I’m here for. That being said, Maplewood is still relatively dense. But I’ve got a yard and a garage for woodworking supplies & bikes now. (Not cars though. Who puts a car in a garage?!)
You've got a cool project on Kickstarter right now—you made a book of your watercolors of different businesses in the Maplewood/South Orange area. Can you tell us about the project and why you wanted to bring it to life?
I’ve started making a habit of sketching everywhere I go. I talk about it in this video. I’ve been making art my whole life, but it wasn’t until just over a year ago that I pivoted into being an artist full-time.
People have called me a “local watercolor documentarian”, which I really like. I get to observe the passion and hard work that entrepreneurs put into passion projects that create the fabric of our communities. It’s given me the opportunity to get to know my town better, and build connections with everyone who is setting up roots here.
When scrolling your Instagram, I saw that you do work in all kinds of subjects, from people to pets to buildings and events. For your book, what made you want to focus on scenes from local small businesses and public areas?
The illustrations in the book tell different stories to different people. They’re sentimental to everyone for different reasons, and universal to the community at large. My pets, people, and house portraits are personal and important to the people who commission them.
When people page through my book or look at my prints, there’s a whimsical look in their eyes when they recognize what they’re seeing. Subconsciously, they’re instantly reminded of a lifetime of moments—memories reflexively flashing before their eyes. Sometimes they may literally find *themselves* in these illustrations. These are real people in there! Many of them have reached out to me to say “hey, that was me in line at the coffeeshop! This is so cool!” They’re documentations of moments in time, but also idealized moments in time.
In addition to the Kickstarter project, you can find Ken teaching figure drawing, urban sketching, and watercolor classes. An exhibit of his work is on display at The Co-Lab until the end of August. He’s also working on a children’s book, doing live portrait drawing at town events, and working his way through his '“idea box.”
As part of the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative, the New Jersey Devils are seeking artists to submit examples of their work in order to be considered to design elements used for “Latin & Hispanic Heritage, Pride, Black History Celebration, API Heritage, and Women's Empowerment,” events. Deadline: August 2 (but it’s a very short form!).
Zufall Health is curating a group show that will be on display in their West Orange facility. The show will be titled “New Beginnings,” and they are seeking submissions “exploring themes of renewal, hope, and the beauty of starting anew.” Submission information, in English and Spanish, can be found here. Deadline: August 23.
Somerset County is seeking both professional and novice plein air artists for a juried art exhibit that “will highlight the unique beauty and features of the County’s extensive public park system, as seen through the eyes of New Jersey Plein Air artists.” Deadline: September 1. $25 entry fee.
The Clifton Arts Center is seeking 3D sculptures of animals for an exhibit about the Clifton Quarantine Station that was located in town from 1900-1979 and housed “exotic birds, prized cows, racehorses, elephants, giraffes, musk oxen, camels and more.”2 They are looking for 3-foot+ sculptures of animals made of various materials that are realistic or representational. Deadline: September 30.
“Locals and bennies alike are invited to submit” essays, photos, and art to Beach Badge, a zine dedicated to the Jersey Shore. Rolling submissions.
This was the easiest link to share to the name of the episode, but you can find the free episodes of NJITW on whichever podcast app you use!
I have somehow never heard this bit of history, but now I need to go do a bunch of research because I need to know everything!